Simons Says Shop
Savvy Quebecers have flocked to Simons for 175 years. The retailer now has plans to go national, but can it succeed in markets where it’s not a known entity?
by Kathryn Leger Photo by Louise Bilodeau
sanctum where the president and CEO of one of Quebec’s most venerable retailers — La Maison Simons Inc. — works when not on the road seeking new fashion products. Simons is a go-to institution in Quebec, known as an emporium of taste
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and style with a cachet that attracts not only locals but also a constant parade of shoppers from outside the province. Its assortment of women’s and men’s apparel, accessories and home decor items are housed amid showpiece art installations. The store shelves display a carefully curated mix of goods whose multiple price points appeal to shoppers who can choose from affordable private house brands, mid-range emerging brands and high-end designers.
S SOON AS YOU ARE STEPS AWAY FROM HIS EXECUTIVE OFFICE IN historic Quebec City, it becomes obvious that Peter Simons is in a fashion-forward march that could have an impact on retailing across Canada. A makeshiſt assembly line of sample sweaters is set up in the antechamber leading to the inner
28 | CPA MAGAZINE | MAY 2015
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